Copy-holder attachment for type-writers.



W. E. GRAY.

COPY HOLDER ATTACHMENT FOR TYPE WRITERS.

APPLICATION HLED APR. I6, 1913- 1,183,639. Patented May 16, 1916.

3 SHEETS$HEET I.

WITNESSES MA I-w ATTORNEYS THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, D c.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Patented May16, 1916.

W. E. GRAY.

COPY HOLDER ATTACHMENT FOR TYPE WRITERS. APPLICATION FILED APR. 16. I913- mum L Ill TOR

Mil E ATTORNEYS WITNESSES Mama M- w. E. GRAY. v COPY HOLDER ATTACHMENT FOR TYPE WRITERS.

APPLICATION FILED APR- HL 1913. 1,183,639.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

WITNESSES I INVENTOR N ZJMZZd/Wy ATTORNEYS Patented May16,1916.

4 TE ST WILLIAM ERNEST GRAY, OF BOISE, IDAHO.

COPY-HOLDER ATTACHMENT FOR TYPE-WRITERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 16, 1916.

Application filed April 16, 1913. Serial No. 761,481.

citizen of the United States, and a resident of Boise, in the county of Adaand State of Idaho, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Copy-Holder Attachments for Type-Writers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to copy holder attachments for typewriters, and particularly to such attachments of this kind as are operated automatically bymovements of various parts of the typewriter.

More particularly stated, my invention comprehends a copy holder to be connected with a typewriter and having a large number of adjustments of various kinds, Whereby the copy holder is given a large number of positions and the handling of the copy is facilitated in a number of distinct ways, the manipulation of the copy by hand however, being reduced to a minimum.

My invention relates more particularly to means which Iprovide for indicating upon the copy the spacing of various kinds done upon the typewriter; that is to say, when the typewriter is actuated for the purpose-of letter spacing, word spacing or line spacing, an indication (corresponding to the changed condition of the typewriter due to such spacing,) is made upon the copy holder.

My invention further comprehends means whereby the spacing mechanism carried by the copy holder is connected with the spacing mechanism forming a part of the typewriter in such manner that the spacing of various kinds done upon the typewriter is practically repeated upon the copy holder, this action being automatic in the sense that it is done under control of the typewriting machine.

My invention further comprehends a mechanism whereby certain adjustments made upon various movable parts of the spacing mechanism of the typewriter will practically have the effect of making corresponding adjustment upon the spacing mechanism of the copy holder attachment.

My invention further relates to various improvements in copy holder mechanism and parts immediately associated therewith, for the purpose of increasing the efficiency of devices of this character. In this con nection it may be stated that, broadly speakmg, I employ a plate to be connected with the frame of a typewriter and provided with means whereby the plate may be adjusted into a large number ofdilferent pos1t1ons relative to thetypewriter frame, the plate being provided with means for holding the copy upon it, and further provided with mechanism connected with the typewriter for indicating, upon the copy, the various spacing functions performed by the typewriter, whether these spacing functions relate to word, letter, or line spacing. In other words, whenever almost any sort of spacing is done upon the typewriter, an indication of such spacing is made upon the copy holder, such indication being practically automatic.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like letters indicate like parts.

Figure l is a fragmentary plan view of an Underwood typewriter, with vmy copy holder attachment applied thereto and ready for use. Fig. 2 is a detail showing a lost motion device used in transmitting certain kind of spacing movements from the typewriter attachment. Fig. 3 is a detail showing in front elevation, an arm carried by the line spacing lever of the typewriter and used in connection with my attachment. Fig. 4 is a detail being a section on line l-4: of Fig. 3, looking-in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary end elevation of the typewriter, with my attachment connected therewith, as seen from the left side of the machine. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation showing a part of the copy holder plateand the step by step mechanism used for making line indications upon the copy. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section on the line 77 of Fig. 9, looking in the direction of the arrow, and showing the motion of themechanism appearing in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is. a detail showing in section, a part of the copy holder plate and parts carried thereby. Fig. 9 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the copy holder plate showing a part of the mechanism for making line indications. Fig. 10 is a detail showing a part of the fastening mechanism used for supporting the attachment upon the frame of the typewriter. fragmentary elevation of the typewriter plate and the means whereby it is supported Fig. 11 is a and adjusted. Fig. 12 is a fragmentary front elevation of the top of the copy holder plate. Fig. 13 is a vertical section through the indicator and is taken upon line 1313 of Fig. 11, looking in the direction of the arrow.

The typewriter frame is shown at 14, and is provided with a back bar 15. Fitting upon this back bar are two clamping members 16, 17, provided with tongues 18, 19, one overlapping the other, the tongue 18 being provided with a slot 20 (see Fig. 10), through which extends a set screw 21, the latter engaging the bar 15. By loosening the set screw 21, the clamping members 16, 17 may be adjusted relatively to each other, and moved to different portions of the back bar 15, and by tightening the screw 21, the clamping members are rigidly secured to the back bar. The clamping members 16, 17 are provided with extending portions 22, 23, having substantially the form of plates with curved edges, the plate 22 being provided with a row of holes 24 (see Fig. 1) arranged in the form of a semi-circle.

A supporting arm 25 of substantially L-shape extends through the plates 22, 23, which serve as bearings for it. Mounted upon the supporting stem 25 are bearings 26, 27, and extending through these bearings is a rod 28 serving as a pawl and adapted to fit into any one of the holes 24. The pawl 28 is made of wire and at its upper end is bent to form an eye 29 which serves as a handle.

A spring 30 is secured at its lower end to the pawl 28, the upper end of the spring resting against the bearing 26. By grasping the eye 29 and pulling the pawl 28 upward,

1 it may be disengaged from the plate 22 so that the arm 25 may be swung around into different angular positions, the arm turning upon its vertical axis.

The supporting arm 25 is provided with a bifurcated head 31 having the form of a fiat fork, the oppositely disposed members of which are provided upon their contiguous faces with teeth, as indicated at the left of Fig. 5. An arm 32 is provided with a fiat head 33 for fitting into the fork 31 and provided with teeth to enable it to effect a positive engagement. A set screw 34 is used for tightening the fork 31 relatively to the head 33, and thus securing the arm 32 rigid relatively to the arm 25. By loosening the set screw 34, the arm 32 may be turned to different angles relatively to the arm 25 and when this is done the set screw 34 may be tightened so as to securely lock the arms 32 and 25 in their new positions. The arm 32 carries a pair of spring jaws 35 and extending through these jaws is a thumb bolt 36. A rod 37 is provided at its lower end with a ball 37 integral with it, this ball being engaged by the spring jaws 35. By loosening the thumb bolt 36 the rod 37 may be turned upon its own axis relatively to the arm 32, or the rod 37 may be turned to difi'erent angles relatively to the general length of the arm 32.

Engaging the rod 37 is a clamp 38, and mounted upon the latter is a screw 39 whereby it may be tightened. The clamp 38 is secured to the copy holder plate which is shown at 40. Mounted upon the copy holder plate 40 and projecting slightly from the edges thereof, are two tongues 41, 42, each shaped-so as to form a bearing. Two other bearings 43 and a bearing 44 are mounted rigidly upon the copy holder plate 40 and located in alinement with the other bearings just mentioned.

A presser bar 45 extends through all of the bearings 41, 42, 43 and 44 and is provided with a middle portion which is bent slightly out of alinement with the bearings and is adapted to press directly against the face of the plate 40, as will be understood from Fig. 1. Encircling a portion of the presser bar 45 is a spiral spring 46 for turn ing the presser bar slightly to insure its pressure against the plate 40. The tongue 42 is provided with bent portions 47, 48, serving as bearings for a gripper bar 49 which extends through them. A spring 50 is connected with this gripper bar and, with the tongue 47. This spring normally tends to turn the gripper bar, which is provided with a lengthy portion 51, the latter terminating in an eye 52.

The plate 40 carries a tongue 53 secured rigidly upon it and serving as a limiting stop for preventing excessive travel of the portion 51 of the gripper bar. The spring 50 by its tendency to turn the gripper bar, presses the portion 51 of the gripper bar toward the limiting stop 53. The portion 51 of the gripper bar is used for the purpose of clamping the sheets of paper after they are copied, and serves to hold them out of the way of other sheets yet to be copied. After each sheet is copied it is turned back over the top of the copy holder plate and passed under the portion 51 of the gripper bar, the bar being swung around as far as necessary in order to allow the sheet to be pulled back over the top of the plate 40, and the gripper bar being now allowed to swing back into its normal position, holds the sheet or sheets thus thrown back and enables the operator to obtain a full view of the next sheet to be copied. Secured rigidly upon the back of the plate 40 is a toothed rack 54 and adjacent to this rack is a slidable plate 55, as may be understood from Fig. 9. Located opposite the slidable plate 55 is another slidable plate 56, which is connected therewith by a bearing strip 57, as indicated in Fig. 8, that is to say, the

plate 55 engages the back of the plate 40, while the plate 56 engages the face of the plate 40, the plates 55 and 56 being spaced apart by the bearing strip 57 which engages the adjacent edge of the plate 40. The plates 55, 56 and the bearing strip 57 together constitute a slide which is adapted to move up and down the plate 40. Fastenings 58 secure the plates 55, 56 and the bearing strip 57 together.

Mounted upon the plate 55 is a bearing bracket 59 which partially encircles the rack 54, as will be understood from Fig. 8. The bearing bracket 59 by its engagement with the rack 54 serves as a guide for holding the adjacent edge of the plate 55 against a smooth surface of the rack 54, and also serves to prevent disengagement of the plate 55, and parts connected with it, from the copy holder plate 40.

A leaf spring 60 mounted upon the bearing bracket 59 engages the teeth of the rack 54 and by its friction against the same, serves to maintain the plate 55 and parts connected with it, temporarily at any particular height to which they may be moved relatively to the rack 54. Mounted upon the plate 55 is a bracket 61 having a substantial crescent shape, as indicated in Fig. 9. Bearing rollers 62 are mounted upon the ends of the bracket 61 and engage the adjacent smooth surface of the rack 54. The bracket 61 is provided with an extending portion 63 serving as a hearing. A rocking spider 64 is provided with an arm 65 engaging the teeth of the rack 54, and serving as a pawl for engaging these teeth in order to move the slide consisting of plates 55, 56 and parts connected therewith.

The spider 64 is further provided with an extending portion 66 serving as a thumb piece for enabling the spider to be rocked by hand. The spider 64 is further provided with an extending arm 67 by which it is manually actuated, as hereinafter described. Located between the spider 64 and the adjacent extending portion 63 of the bracket 61 is a spring 68 which isconnected with the bracket and with the spider. The normal tendency of this spring is to turn the spider 64 in a contra-clockwise direction, according to Fig. 9. The spider 64 is journaled upon a pin 69 which is rigid relatively to the extending portion 63 of the bracket 61. The plate 56 is provided with two cars 70, and located between these ears are two other ears 71, the latter being journaled to the ears 70 by aid of pivot pins 72.

The ears 71 are connected with a bar 73, this bar being provided with graduations as shown in Fig. 11, and being adapted to swing upon the pivot pins 70 as centers. The graduations extend to the spaces between consecutive letters, as ordinarily written upon the typewriter. The bar 73 is made of cheap material having its oppositely disposed edges bent toward each other, as indicated in Fig. 13.

A slide 74 is carried by the bar 73 and movable relatively to the latter in the general direction of the length thereof. A pointer 75 is mounted upon a bolt 76 this bolt having a thumb nut 77 engaging it, the bolt extending through the slide 74 and the pointer 75, as indicated in Fig. 13. The slide 74 is provided with a horizontally disposed slot 76 through which the bolt 76 extends. By loosening the thumb nut 77 the bolt 76 may be moved along the slot 7 6 and by tightening the thumb nut the pointer 75 may be secured in slightly different positions relatively to the slide 74. That is to say, the pointer 75 is adjustable slightly in a horizontal direction relatively to the slide. A spring wire 78 is connected at one of its ends to the slide 74. The spring wire is partially wound within a reel 79, the latter being provided with a spring 80. The tendency of the spring 80 is to turn the reel 79 in a clockwise direction, according to Fig. 11, thus pulling the slide 74 to the right. Another spring wire 81 is connected with the slide 74. This spring wire 81 extends entirely through a tubular sheath 82.

This sheath is provided at one of its ends with a sleeve 83, the latter being secured directly to the plate 56. The opposite end of the sheath 82 is provided with a sleeve 84. This sleeve is secured to a casing 85 by a screw 86. The casing 85 is provided with a bottom 87 from which the casing is detachable. The bottom 87 is mounted upon an arm 88, the latter being secured by a bolt 90 upon a bracket 91 carried by the frame of the typewriter. A thumb bolt 89 extends through the casing 85 and its bottom 87. By removing the thumb bolt, the casing, except its bottom 87, may be disengaged from the arm 88.

The spring wire 81, extending as above stated through the tubular sheath 82, passes partially around a pulley 82 journaled within the casing 85, and from this pulley extends across the machine, being connected with a collar 92. upon the rod 93 forming a part of the typewriter carriage 94. The parts are so arranged that as the typewriter carriage moves step by step from right to left, as the typewriter keys are operated, the wire 81 is allowed to move to the left around the pulley 82 and through the sheath 82, so that the slide 74 travels step by step in the general direction in which the wire 81 is traveling, the slide being actuated as above described, by the constant pulling of the wire 78 under control of the reel 79. T henet result is that the slide 74 is at the right of the copy holder plate 40 whenever the carriage of the typewriter is in its ex- This collar is mounted i treme position to the left of the machine, and when the carriage is at its limit at the right of-the machine, the slide 74: is likewise at its limit to the left of the plate 40. Any position of the typewriter carriage intermediate the limits of its movement finds the slide 74 at a corresponding intermediate position. If through any cause it should happen that the slide 74 is a little too far to the left or to the right to enable the pointer 7 5 to register an exact indication, the pointer is adjusted, as elsewhere explained, by moving it horizontally in relation to the slide 7-1. The shifting lever, that is the typewriter lever used for spacing line by line, is shown at 95 and upon opposite sides of this shifting lever are limiting stops 96, 97 for limiting its travel. The shifting lever 95 is provided with a hub portion 95 integral with it, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 1. Connected with this hub portion by a fastening 98 is an arm 99, the latter having a general areuate form, as indicated at the left of Fig. 2, and being provided with notches 100, these notches serving as graduations.

Mounted upon the arm 99 is a slide 101 which may be moved by hand in the general direction of the length of the arm, to any required distance, as indicated by the grad nations 100. A rod 102 is connected with the slide 101 and the upper end of this red is rendered tubular, as indicated in Fig. 2, and connected with a. link 103. Fitting into this link and extending partially into the rod 102, is a wire 104: which is provided with an enlarged portion 105 serving as a limiting stop for preventing excessive travel of the wire 104 to the right according to Fig. 2.

A compression spring 106 engages the enlarged portion 105 of the wire 10% and also engages the left hand portion of the link 103, according to Fig. 2. The wire 104: and the rod 102 are thus telescopically fitted together so as to form a composite tension member, and when this tension member is subjected to excessive tensile strain, the spring 106 is slightly compressed, the tension member being correspondingly stretched.

The parts here described may be seen in Fig. 2, and together consitutes a device for taking up lost motion whenever the opposite tension member is stretched beyond a. predetermined point.

A wire 107 made of spring metal is connected with the arm 67, as shown in Fig. 9. This wire 107 extends through a tubular sheath 108 which is similar in construction to the sheath 82. A bracket 109 is connected with one end of the sheath 10S and is secured to the typewriter frame. The opposite end of the tubular sheath 108 is secured to a sleeve 110, the latter being mounted upon the back of the copy holder plate 410, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 8. The wire 107 extends entirely through the tubular sheath 108 and is connected with the wire 10%, as will be seen from the left of Fig. 1.

Whenever the shifting lever 95 (see lower left of Fig. 1) is rocked to the right, according to this figure, (that is, turned in a contra-clockwise direction) the arm 99 is rocked in the same direction and causes the rod 102 to pull upon the wire 104:, and the wire 107. This wire by pulling upon the arm 67 (see Fig. 9) causes the spider 64: to rock in a clockwise direction according to this figure. This rocking movement of the spider 64: causes the-pawl to engage the teeth of the rack 54.- and thus pull the slide, comprising plates 55, 56 and parts carried thereby to move downwardly. As this slide carries indicating bar 73 (see Fig. 12) this bar moves downwardly to an extent commensurate with the degree of movement of the lever 95. If new the slide 101 be moved relatively to the arm 99 and thus adjusted to different distances away from the center of rotation of the arm 95, the degree of movement conferred upon the wire 107 by shifting the lever 95 from one of its limits to the other, is correspondingly varied. The adjusting lever of the line spacer of the typewriter is shown at 111 in Fig. 1. Associated with this adjustment is a scale provided with numerals, as shown at the left of the part 111 in Fig. 1. By operating this adjustment so as to regulate the spacing of the lines made by the typewriter in the usual manner, the length of stroke made by the lever 95 is varied also, and consequently the length of stroke made by the pawl 65, under control of the wire 107, is varied correspondingly. The net result is that when the line spacing of the typewriter is adjusted or varied in the usual manner, the line spacing of my improved copy holder is varied to a corresponding extent and the variation is practically automatic.

The platen roller is shown at 112, the platen knob for turning the platen roller at 113, and one of the ribbon spools appears at 11 1.

The operation of mv device is as follows: The various parts being assembled, arranged and adjusted as above described, and sheets of copy being placed upon the copy holder plate 40, and the indicator bar 73 being rested near the upper edge of the top sheet, the work upon the typewriter may he proceeded with substantially in the usual manner. The typewriter carriage being dr wn to the right at the beginning of a line, the pointer 75 of the typewriter attachment is brought into proximity with the first letter to be printed or the first space to be made, as the case may be. Then as the keys and spacing lever 95 are actuated from time to time in accordance with the conventional system, the slide 71 carrying the pointer 75 travels step by step to the right, so that the pointer 7 5 makes the same number of movements as the carriage of the typewriter. If now, the matter to be copied is typewritten matter, and the various adjustments are properly made, the pointer 75 may be caused to indicate consecutively not only the lines, but the words and letters of the copy, and if for any reason there is a movement of thetypewriter carriage, there is also a corresponding movement of the pointer 75. The ordinary stroke of a typewriter key moves the typewriter carriage a small but definite distance to the operators left, and whenever this occurs, the pointer 75 moves to the same extent toward the right of the copy holder plate 40. Each time the shifting lever 95 is actuated for the purpose of starting a new line, the indicator bar 73 is similarly actuated relatively to the copy. As each sheet of copy is completed it is bent back over the top of the copy holder plate and secured by aid of the portion 51 of the gripper bar, as above described. The various supporting arms used for sustaining and holding the plate admit of numerous adjustments, so that the plate 10 can be held at practically any angle desired relatively to the typewriter frame.

I do not limit myself to the precise construction shown, as variations may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim 1. A copy holder attachment comprising the combination with a typewriter, of means for supporting copy, an indicator for indicating different portions of said copynneans connected with a typewriter and actuated automatically thereby for moving said indicator step by step in order to make letter and word indications, and connections from said indicator to the line spacing lever of the typewriter for enabling the said indicator to indicate on the copy holder the line spacing of said typewriter.

2. In a copy-holder the combination of a 7 copy holder plate, an indicator bar mounted upon said plate and movable relatively to the same for the purpose of indicating lines, said indicator bar being provided with graduations indicating letters, a slide mounted upon said indicator bar and movable relatively thereto in the general direction of the length thereof, a pointer mounted upon said slide, and means for adjusting the position of said pointer relatively to said slide.

3. In an automatic copy holder, the combination with a typewriter, of a copy holder plate, a slide mounted thereupon and movable relatively thereto, an indicator bar carried by said slide, means connected with the typewriter and controllable by movable parts thereof for shifting said slide and said indicator bar relatively to said copy holder plate, a slide mounted upon said indicator bar, a flexible connection secured to said slide, means for tensioning said flexible connection in order to normally move said slide in one direction, and a mechanism controllable by the keys of the typewriter for moving said slide step by step in the opposite direction along said indicator bar.

4. In an automatic copy holder, the combination with a typewriter, of a copy holder plate, a slide mounted thereupon and movable relatively thereto, an indicator bar carried by said slide, means connected with the typewriter and controllable by movable parts thereof for shifting said slide and indicator bar relatively to said copy holder plate, a slide mounted upon said indicator bar, a flexible connection secured to said slide, means for tensioning said flexible connection in order to normally move said slide in one direction, mechanism controllable by the keys of the typewriter for moving said slide step by step in the opposite direction along said indicator bar, a pointer carried by said slide, and means for adjusting said pointer relatively to said slide.

5. A copy holder attachment for typewriters comprising the combination with a typewriter, of a copy supporting member, an indicator bar supported thereupon and movable relatively thereto, mechanism mounted upon said copy supporting member and connected with said indicator bar for shifting said indicator bar step by step in a predetermined direction relatively to said supporting member, for the purpose of indicating line spacing, a pointer mounted upon said indicator bar and movable relatively thereto in a direction crossing said first mentioned direction, a flexible connection secured-to said pointer and to amovable typewriter carriage for the purpose of enabling letter movements of said carriage to shift the position of said pointer, and mechanism connected with the line spacer of the typewriter and with the mechanism for actuating said indicator bar, for the purpose of enabling movements of said line spacer to actuate said indicator bar.

6. A device of the character described comprising the combination with a typewriter, of a copy supporting plate, a rack bar mounted thereupon and provided with teeth, a frame movable relatively to said plate, step by step mechanism carried by said frame and coacting with the teeth of said rack bar for shifting said frame bodily in relation to said plate mechanism controllable by the line spacer of a typewriter for actuating said step by step mechanism, an

indicating bar carried by said frame, a

pointer movable relatively to said indicating bar, and a flexible connection secured to said pointer and extending therefrom to the carriage of the typewriter for enabling movements of said carriage to shift the position of said pointer relatively to said indicating bar.

7. A typewriter copy holder comprising the combination with a typewriter, of a copy supporting member, a line marking member movable over the said supporting member, a letter indicating member movable along the line marking member, and means for actuating both the line marking and letter indicating members from the typewriter during the normal operation of the latter.

8. A copy holder attachment for typewriters comprising means for supporting copy, indicating members for indicating different portions of said copy, means connected with a typewriter and actuated automatically thereby for moving one of said indicating members step by step in order to make letter and word indications, and connections from the other said. indicating members to the line spacing lever of a typewriter for enabling the latter member to indicate the line spacing of the said typewriter.

9. In an automatic copy holder, the combination of a copy holder plate, an indicator bar carried by said plate, a slide mounted upon said indicator bar, a flexible connection secured to said slide, means for tensioning said flexible connection in order to normally move said slide in one direction, and a mechanism controllable by the keys of a typewriter for moving said slide step by step in the opposite direction along said indicator bar.

10. In an automatic copy holder, the combination of a copy holder plate, an indicator bar carried by said plate, a slide mounted upon said indicator bar, a flexible connection secured to said slide, means for tensioning said flexible connection in order to normally move said slide in one direction, mechanism controllable by the keys of a typewriter for moving said slide step by step in the opposite direction along said indicator bar, a pointer carried by said slide, and meansfor adjusting said pointer relatively to said slide.

11. In a copy holder, the combination of an indicator bar, a letter indicator movable on the bar, means for actuating the said indicator from the carriage of a typewriter, a pointer carried by the indicator, and means for adjusting said pointer relatively to the indicator.

12. In a copy holder, the combination of an indicator bar, a letter indicating member movable along the bar, a spring controlled reel secured at one end of the bar, a flexible connection extending from the reel to one side of the letter indicator and normally tending to draw the latter toward the reel, and a connection extending between the opposite side of the indicator and the carriage of a typewriter.

13. In a copy holder, the combination of an indicator bar, a letter indicating member movable along the bar, a spring controlled reel secured at one end of the bar, a flexible connection extending from the reel to one side of the letter indicator and normally tending to draw the latter toward the reel, and a connection extending between the opposite side of the indicator and the carriage of 'a typewriter, said last-named connection being in the form of a flexible wire.

WILLIAM ERNEST GRAY.

Witnesses:

H. R. NEITZEL, XV. D. MoREYNoLDs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

